Immersive virtual reality

[
Virtual reality HMD] Immersive virtual reality is a hypothetical future technology that exists today as virtual reality art projects, for the most part. It consists of Immersion (virtual reality) in an artificial environment where the user feels just as immersed as they usually feel in consensus reality.

Direct stimulation of the nervous system

The most considered method would be to induce the sensations that made up the virtual reality in the nervous system directly.

In functionalism/conventional biology we interact with consensus reality through the nervous system. Thus we receive all input from all the senses as nerve impulses. It gives your neurons a feeling of heightened sensation.

It would involve the user receiving inputs as artificially stimulated nerve impulses, the system would receive the CNS outputs (natural nerve impulses) and process them allowing the user to interact with the virtual reality.

Natural impulses between the body and central nervous system would need to be prevented.

Requirements

Understanding of the nervous system

A comprehensive understanding of which nerve impulses correspond to which sensations, and which motor impulses correspond to which muscle contractions will be required. This will allow the correct sensations in the user, and actions in the virtual reality to occur. The Blue Brain Project is the current, most promising research with the idea of understanding how the brain works by building very large scale computer models.

Ability to manipulate CNS

The nervous system would obviously need to be manipulated. Whilst non-invasive devices using radiation have been postulated, invasive cybernetic implants are likely to become available sooner and be more accurate. Manipulation could occur at any stage of the nervous system - the spinal chord is likely to be simplest - All nerves pass through here so this could be the only site of Manipulation. Molecular Nanotechnology is likely to provide the degree of precision required and could allow the implant to be built inside the body rather than be inserted by an operation.

Computer hardware/software to process inputs/outputs

A very powerful and probably (but not necessarily) Strong Artificial Intelligence would be required to process all the inputs from the CNS, run a simulation of a virtual reality approaching the complexity of consensus reality, and translate its events to a complete set of nerve impulses for the user. Strong artificial intelligence may also be required to write the program for a decent alternate reality.

References

*cite web | last =Adams | first =Ernest | title =Postmodernism and the Three Types of Immersion | publisher =Gamasutra | date =July 9, 2004 | url =http://designersnotebook.com/Columns/063_Postmodernism/063_postmodernism.htm | format =HTML | accessdate =2007-12-26
*cite book | last =Björk | first =Staffan | coauthors =Jussi Holopainen | title =Patterns In Game Design | publisher =Charles River Media | date =2004 | pages =423 | url =http://books.google.com/books?id=IFQfyODK4wAC | isbn =1584503548
* [http://www.eyewithwings.net/nechvatal/ideals.htm Immersive Ideals / Critical Distances : A Study of the Affinity Between Artistic Ideologies Based in Virtual Reality and Previous Immersive Idioms] by Joseph Nechvatal 1999 Planetary Collegium
*Oliver Grau, "Virtual Art: From Illusion to Immersion", MIT-Press, Cambridge 2003
*Oliver Grau (Ed.): "Media Art Histories", MIT-Press, Cambridge 2007
*Joseph Nechvatal, "Immersive Excess in the Apse of Lascaux", Technonoetic Arts 3, no3. 2005

External links

* [http://www.eyewithwings.net/nechvatal/ideals.htm Immersive Ideals / Critical Distances : A Study of the Affinity Between Artistic Ideologies Based in Virtual Reality and Previous Immersive Idioms] by Dr. Joseph Nechvatal